Watching the Knicks secure this championship win was nothing short of amazing.

Sure, as a long-term Knicks fan (and yes, I do have two teams, the other of which is the Celtics. I know, I know but it’s Been like that since childhood and won’t be changing any time soon) it’s possible that I’m biased, but I like to believe I am as far and balanced as any part-time fanatic can be.

Indeed, narratives, scripts, and conspiracy theories aside, this was one of the most organic wins I’ve witnessed in pro sports in quite some time.

Overall, it just seems like a group of men, a few of which have been close since they played in college, worked their butts off and finally achieved the impossible.

I mean, as a fan of the team I have to be candid: the Knicks are always in the conversation but they have been breaking my heart in the finals for decades.

So, although I’m always hopeful, I have never been too confident in a win since childhood.

This year, I watched them knock out team after team like it was light work, and I’ve never been so proud of a team in all my days.

Not because of their performance alone, but because they did it with so much grace and teamwork which can oddly be pretty rare in the pro sports realm.

To be quite candid, it made me reconsider the positive aspects of fanaticism on a personal level. I’m someone who hates hype and avoids bandwagons like the plague, but there are times that even I have to take off my thinking cap and put on a team SnapBack.

I expressed my sentiments in full on my new TikTok. You can listen here.

And if you’re on TikTok, don’t forget to give me a follow!

I watched them win with humility and lose with grace in a way that has inspired me in ways I hadn’t expected.

That said, here are the top 8 lessons I think any underdog can use based on watching the Knicks win the championship.

Be Delusional like Brunson

I’ve been overlooked my entire life, but I never doubted myself. ~Jaylen Brunson

Sounds cliché, I know, but as a chronic overachieving underdog, this has never rang so true. Jalen Brunson is over a foot shorter than Wembanyama, which put an insane amount of pressure on him to dominate from the very beginning. Based on size alone, Wembanyama is the type of player it takes real skill to beat.

Nevertheless, Brunson stayed cool as a cucumber and calmly cooked the freakishly large player. I mean, some of those shots were so amazing that I’ve been inspired to take up editing, but that’s another conversation for another day.

The point is, from the outside looking in, most would assume that Brunson had no chance against Wemby. But the level to which he believed in himself was so profound, that he forced the rest of the world to believe in him to.

As someone who has frequently beaten odds to do everything from survive childhood to graduating from both high school and college right after giving birth, I can tell you that sometimes the naysayers are so loud they start to drown out your inner voice. Brunson has shown us what happens when you are seemingly delusional in terms of how much you can accomplish: the delusion becomes reality.

Play Your Role Like Josh Hart

Although Brunson is clearly the man, my favorite Knick is actually Josh Hart. Not just because he’s talented, but because he shows what happens when you niche down instead of constantly fighting for the top spot.

I was sold on Hart from the moment I witnessed him easily grab like 18 rebounds while in foul trouble and benched for a good part of the game.

I mean, as a basketball fan, I love Jordan, but without Rodman, the Dream Team would’ve been just a dream. And it’s funny, I didn’t appreciate Rodman’s role as a child, but in retrospect, he was one of the most important players on the team.

And that’s exactly how I feel about Josh Hart. He’s not necessarily the top scorer, but he can definitely score, and he’s not leading the league in assists, though he’s shown immense growth in that area as well. But when it comes to getting the ball to his teammates, he is a machine. He does not get enough fanfair, and if I have to be the one to start the bandwagon, I’m here to do just that.

Channel Grief Like KAT

I connected with KAT this season on another level. Although I’m an empath and feel horrible for virtually anyone deep in the grief trenches. However, for someone who has recently lost my own mother, his story touched me so profoundly.

Indeed, I am in the midst of beating yet another bracket of odds in my continuous life story of comebacks, and I can’t lie: without my mother here on earth, everything feels infinitely more hollow. Making her proud has always been a top goal of mine, and unfortunately, it seems that my own mother checked out before my biggest wins as well.

I felt his tears in my own throat when I saw him shed them after games. Losing someone that close both devastates and fuels you in ways you have to experience to understand. Either way, I’m so happy for him that he was able to add yet another win to his mother’s legacy and pray that I continue on my path to doing the same.

Be Humble Like OG

OG Anunoby is a man of few words, but he always manages to say the right ones. When they lose, he’s like, “Hey, we need to play better.” And when he wins, he’s gracious enough to admit it was a team effort. Either way, he was absolutely instrumental in this Knicks win, and quickly becoming the unlikely favorite, and it’s beautiful to see.

As a fellow introvert who is not always up for social events, he seems so much happier and lighter since the win. I don’t think this is a new character unlocked by any means; I just believe that he was so focused on achieving his goals that he never felt the need to open himself up to the world. But now that he finally is, everyone seems to love him. He’s still a quiet guy, but his charm is on full display, and I just know this is going to lead to many more opportunities for him in the near and even distant future.

Stay Relatable like Mikal

This may not seem like much of a compliment, but Mikal Bridges won me over just by being transparently human throughout the series. He was there to admit to regrets over missteps when things went awry, and gave the most heartfelt speech after they secured their big W.

Best of all, he has been spending lots of time on Instagram Live getting lit and communing with his fans, and I love it! Baby, he’s been drunk for like 2 days, and I’m not judging him at all. You’re supposed to celebrate big wins for days, weeks, months, or even years.

I think we can get too caught up in achieving our goals to stop and appreciate when we actually start achieving them. Mikal is showing us how to keep the celebration going even as you get back to everyday life, and he has gained so many fans by doing just that.

Celebrate Like You Mean It

Watching the Knicks take their proverbial press victory lap has been one of the most wholesome parts of this experience. First of all, I saw a clip of them playing basketball right after the big game, during their celebration, which demonstrates just how much they all love the game.

They have been on a tour just to talk about what they love and continue their journeys as champions. They are showing up with warm energy, hilarious jokes, and enough inspiration to inspire us all. The smiles are genuine, and they seem genuinely excited to meet everyone they come in contact with.

This is the type of celebration you see from a team that has worked to get to where they are and who are truly passionate about what they do. This is highly inspirational for anyone working towards a big win. It shows that you don’t have to change even after you make it, especially when you bring your friends and family along for the ride.

Every Team Needs a Spike Lee

I wouldn’t consider myself a day 1 Knicks fan, but certainly a day 2. Born in Boston and raised in the Fingerlakes region of NY, picking pro sports teams was more complicated than necessary. I’m a day 1 Bills fan, I live for the Celtics, and the Knicks can do no wrong in my eyes. Yes, that does make my fandom infinitely more complicated, but if you’ve been following me for a while, you know this is ridiculously on brand.

At any rate, day 1 fans, such as Spike Lee and Tracy Morgan have shown so much support over the years that they’ve become synonymous with the brand. As much as I’ve loved watching the Knicks win, I’ve enjoyed watching them celebrate the wins almost as much.

I realized Spike Lee was a different kind of monster years ago, when my oldest son complained about “the old guy who’s always yelling at the refs.” And Tracy Morgan has literally been through illnesses and near-death experiences, which only mildly impeded his ability to root for his team courtside.

So, I am loving watching Spike pop up everywhere for celebrations and still chuckle at Tracy’s commercial where he jokingly demonstrates his new zen lifestyle and how he’s peaceful until it’s time to root for the Knicks.

When it comes to the Knicks, crazed fans from all walks of life are just part of the deal, and I love how, instead of a distraction, it’s just viewed as a part of Knicks culture. Even the biggest celebrities, politicians, etc., are in awe of what these players achieve day after day, and I do think that is a level of inspiration that can fuel us all to shoot for the impossible.

Don’t Lose Like Wimby

I’m not going to lie, I actually like Wimby and was rooting for him until it was time to face the Knicks. I mean, he’s so freakishly huge, it’s hard to imagine him doing anything else with his life besides dominating the NBA. And when you’re that naturally athletically inclined, of course you’re going to have an insane level of confidence.

Nobody’s mad at that.

However, where he really started to turn me off was when he showed that he’s a horrible loser and will almost stop at nothing to secure a W. Yes, pro sports are dirty in general, true indeed, but some of the moves I’ve seen from Wimby were unlike anything I’ve ever seen without a tech and a swift ejection from the court. I’m astounded that he was only ejected from one game, because some of those moves really looked malicious. And given his massive size, that could really become problematic in the very near future.

I mean, he was putting dudes in headlock moves and hopping across the floor onto players like he was playing in the UFC. At his size, he doesn’t need to do all that to secure a win; he simply needs to continue to practice and trust the process. But this brings me back to the off-putting part of it all; he is starting to seem like the type who isn’t above cutting corners to secure a win. Now, in the NBA, that could mean lots of things, but unfortunately, most of them aren’t good.

And the way he refused to shake hands when the game was over solidified him as an NBA villain. Yes, I understand that he’s disappointed. Who wouldn’t be?! But as a fellow sore loser, you have to know when to cut your losses. Getting all the way to the finals in his second season is a great sign for what’s to come if he locks in and focuses on improving his game. Also, the Knicks are true vets at this point and have worked so hard to get to where they are. I would think someone with true sportsmanship would have at least acknowledged that much.

Not Wimby.

He was so pissed he even walked out on the press after saying, “See you never.” Honestly, the petty princess in me was quite tickled by this, but it was just so childish and sounded more like what I say to my exes after a drunken call than something an almost NBA champion should be saying in public.

As mentioned, I made a short edit of some of the highs and lows of this series. If interested, you can check that out here:

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The Bottom Line

This unprecedented win was the first in 53 years, and it happened when many, including myself, least expected it. If nothing else, it shows the power of focusing on your craft and remaining dedicated to your dreams even when the odds are stacked against you.

Congratulations to the Knicks and everyone who has been impacted by this win, no matter the reason. It hurts to share losses, but one major shared win can be the catalyst for new heights for all.